Private Landowner Assistance Program - Forest Stewardship Programs

Forest Stewardship Programs

The Forest Stewardship Program (FSP) provides assistance to non-industrial private forest owners by encouraging and enabling them for long-term forest management. The program provides landowners with information on development and multi-source planning in an effort to manage private forests for goods and services. Increased economic output along with increased output from the forest is the main goal of the program. Since its introduction, the program has developed 270,000 management plans that consist of more than 31,000,000 acres (130,000 km²) of private land. Stewardship plans promote forest health and development through active management while providing timber, wildlife habitat, natural watersheds, recreational opportunities and many other benefits. Stewardship plans also motivate landowners to become actively involved in planning and managing their land which eventually can lead healthier and more productive forests. Participation in forest stewardship programs is generally open to all private landowners who are committed to a management plan for at least ten years.